Mechanism for supporting and positioning an overhead brush in a carwash



March 24 Filed Feb.

F D. SOLOMON 3,501,794

MECHANISM FOR SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING AN OVERHEAD BRUSH IN A CARWASH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3' 43 1 IO 42 z 45 24 1 1 M "26 36 2/ 38 20 M v V x 35 34 49 I2 48 11mm 46 23 LJ Q INVENTOR.

F/GZ

FRED D. SOLOMON ATTORNEYS March 1970 F. D. SOLOMON 3,501,794

MECHANISM FOR SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING AN OVERHEAD BRUSH IN -A CARWASH Filed Feb. 2'7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 #42 FIG. 3

26 I 23" 2/ /IO I NVENTOR.

4 FRED D. s LOMON BYfiM A TTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 15-21 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mechanism for supporting and positioning the overhead brush in automatic carwashes. The overhead brush cleans the generally upwardly facing surfaces of the vehicle being washed. The subject mechanism rotatably supports the overhead brush on an articulated frame carried on a standchion. In the embodiment depicted the frame has a pair of upper, support links and a pair of lower, control links. The links in each said pair are pivotally secured to the stanchion and extend in generally parallel relation outwardly from the stanchion. Each pair is pivotally connected to an outer arm, the outer arms being laterally spaced to support the overhead brush rotatably therebetween.

Background of the invention Automatic carwashing systems are generally of two types-In one type the automobile is parked in a stationary position and the washing mechanism traverses the extent of the auto, often making several passes to complete the job. In the second type system the washing mechanism is stationary and the automobile is propelled therethrough at a predetermined speed, the speed and spacing of successive autos being controlled by the utilization of the conveyor system. The present invention relates to a mechanism for supporting and positioning overhead washing brushes which may be used in either system. Although this mechanism shall only be described in conjunction with the second type system, adaptations of the present concept can also be employed by those skilled in the art in the first type system.

To clean the upwardly facing surfaces of a vehicle i.e., the hood, the roof, rear window and trunk, most prior art automatic car washing systems employ a brush suspended laterally and above the car on counterbalanced swing arms.

Counterbalancing the swing arms relieves the downward force resulting from the weight of the brush and the arms so that the force with which the brush scrubs the car can be controlled by a biasing means. Most prior art installations utilize an air cylinder to apply a preselected, downwardly directed, biasing force to the brush. At best, the force applied by an overhead brush so biased tends to be somewhat erratic at those locations where the upwardly facing surfaces of the vehicle being washed abruptly changes directions.

Of even greater moment, however, is the fact that with the prior art swing arm type support the top brush will often completely fail to make contact with, and clean, the rear window.

The swing arms are preferably mounted to extend outwardly from their pivotal support in the same direction that the vehicle being washed moves with respect to the frame on which it is carrying the prior known construction. In this disposition the arcuate movement of the arms about their pivotal connection to the support frame per- Patented Mar. 24, 1970 'ice mits accommodation of the forward movement of the vehicle with respect tothe frame. Were the arms reversed, damaging pressure could easly be applied as the profile of the auto presented a forwardly facing, generally vertically inclined surface, such as the windshield, to be cleaned.

The orientation of the swing arms which provides this safety feature is, at the same time, the cause for failure to make proper contact with the rear window, particularly on those vehicles wherein the rear window is oriented at a rather steep pitch. This problem is easily visualized by reference to a station wagon wherein the rear window is inclined even more vertically than in most vehicles. As the vehicle moves forwardly with respect to the frame on which the swing arms are mounted, the brush swings downwardly and rearwardly-Le, oppositely the direction in which the rear window is moving. As such, the brush leaves the roof and swings arcuately past, but not necessarily in contact with, the rear window.

Summary of the invention It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which will support and position the overhead brush in a carwash so as to clean not only the upwardly directed surfaces of the hood, roof and top of the trunk, but also the rearwardly directed surface of a vertically oriented rear window.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mechanism, as above, by which the overhead brush can be supported so as not to apply damaging pressure to the windshield as the windshield moves forwardly and against the brush and yet be capable of scrubbing across the rear window even as the rear window moves forwardly and away from the brush.

These and other objects of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art forms, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the attached drawings and are accomplished by means hereinafter described and claimed.

In general, a mechanism constructed according to the concept of the present invention for supporting and positioning the overhead brush in an automatic car wash utilizes an articulated support frame operatively mounted on a standchion. At least one support link is pivotally mounted on the standchion, and an arm is pivotally connected to the support arm outwardly of the pivotal connection of the support link to the standchion. The horizontally disposed, overhead brush is journaled on the outer arm. Generally paralleling the support link, and spaced therefrom, is a control link, also pivotally attached to both the standchion and the support arm.

One preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and is described in detail without attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied; the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a supporting and positioning mechanism according to the present invention for an overhead brush, said brush depicted scrubbing the upwardly facing surface on the hood portion of a vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 1, but sequentially thereafter, depicting the brush scrubbing the upwardly facing surface on the roof portion of a vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to FIGS. 1 and 2,

3 but sequentially thereafter, depicting the brush scrubbing down the substantially vertically disposed rear portion of a vehicle; and,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view, partly in section, of the support and positioning mechanism, taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 1.

Description of the preferred embodiment A typical embodiment of a mechanism constructed in accordance with the concept of the present invention for supporting and positioning an overhead brush in an automatic car wash is indicated generally by the numeral on the attached drawings. FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, are sequential representations of this mechanism being used to support and position an overhead brush for cleaning the upwardly directed surfaces of a station wagon 11. A station wagon is depicted herein because most station wagons have substantally vertically oriented rear portions with which the vast superiority of the present concept can be poignantly demonstrated. Although the station wagon 11 is depicted as moving with respect to the mechanism 10 in the direction of the arrows, and therefore symbolic of the second type washing system, one skilled in the art could well adapt the herein disclosed concept to the first type system.

Referring to FIG. 4, brush 12, carried on a shaft 13, is rotatably mounted between the outer arms 14 and 15 of an articulated support frame 16. One end of shaft 13 is rotatably received in a blind journal 18 mounted on outer arm 15. The other end of shaft 13 extends through a cylindrical journal 19 carried on outer arm 14 and is connected to a fluid motor 20 by which rotation of brush 12 is effected.

The outer arms 14 and 15 pivotally depend from support links 21 and 22, respectively, that are, in turn, pivotally carried from a stanchion 23. The articulating pivot between each outer arm and its respective support length may be accomplished by a pin connection such as 24.

To stabilize the support links 21 and 22 cross braces 25 and 26 may be secured laterally therebetween. With the brace 25 located at the rotational axis about which the support links 21 and 22 swing, a pair of oppositely directed stub shafts 28 and 29 may extend outwardly therefrom to be received within a pair of blind journals 30 and 31 fixed to the vertical members 32 and 33 of the stanchion 23, respectively.

A control link 34, generally paralleling and extending beneath the support link 21, is pivotally connected between the outer arm 14 and the vertical member 32 of stanchion 23. Specifically, a tab 35 is secured to the vertical member 32 and a pin 36 joins one end of the control link 34 thereto. The other end of the control link 34 is pivotally connected to the outer arm 14 by a second pin 38.

A control link 39, generally paralleling and extending beneath the support link 22, is similarly pivotally connected between the outer arm 15 and the vertical member 33 of stanchion 23.

Referring to the sequential representations in FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, as the station wagon 11 moves forwardly, in the direction of the arrow, with respect to the stanchion 23 it initially comes into contact with brush 12 at the front 40 of the hood portion 41. Preferably, the brush 12 is rotated, by the fluid motor 20, in a direction (as shown by the appropriate arrow) such that the bristles thereof will move in a direction opposite to the relative movement of the surface being scrubbed thereby. Experience has revealed this rotational direction creates a better cleansing action.

As the car continues, the brush 12 remains in contact with the upwardly directed surfaces of the auto 11. This contact may be assured by the application of controlled downward pressure to the articulated frame 16. If the frame 16 were counterbalanced, a simple air cylinder, as taught by the prior art, could suffice; however, with the frame 16 cantilevered, as shown, the biasing means 42 is preferably a sensing and positioning control cylinder of the type fully disclosed in my copending US. application, Ser. No. 703,694, filed Feb. 7, 1968.

The improved biasing means 42 disclosed in my said application, Ser. No. 703,694, is also preferred because it obviates the erratic application of biasing pressure incident to the prior used air cylinders and assures a controlled, constant pressure of the brush 12. against the vehicle 11. Cylinder 43 of such biasing means 42 is secured to a beam 44 in the stanchion 23, and the piston rod 45 emanating therefrom may be fastened to the cross brace 26.

As the car progresses forwardly with respect to the stanchion 23, the brush 12 will scrub rearwardly along the hood (FIG. 1), up the windshield 46 and across the top 48 of the car to the position shown in FIG. 2.

Continued forward motion of the station wagon 11 with respect to the stanchion 23 brings the brush 12 to the rear edge 49 of vehicle 11. Were the overhead brush 12 supported on the prior known rigid swing arms, the brush would move arcuately downwardly and away from the rear surface 50 of the wagon 11 and fail properly to scrub the rear surface 50. However, with the brush 12 supported on the articulated frame 16, as the brush moves past the rear edge 49 even though the outer end of the support links 21 and 22 will move arcuately downwardly and rearwardly, the control links 34 and 39 will compensate by forcing the outer arms 14 and 15 to swing forwardly and thus maintain the brush 12 in proper scrubbing contact with the rear surface 50 of vehicle 11. As the vehicle continues to move forwardly the support links swing further downwardly and the control links continue to maintain the brush 12 in scrubbing contact with the vehicle 11, as shown in FIG. 3. When the frame 16 reaches a predetermined stop (not shown) it will be in ready position to make contact with the next vehicle to be washed.

By the use of a biasing means 42 embodying the concept of the invention disclosed in my aforesaid application, Ser. No. 703,694, not only will the required force be exerted upon the frame 16 to move the brush 12 downwardly along the rear surface 50, but the brush 12 will also apply a constant scrubbing pressure to the station wagon 11. By using such a biasing means, the piston within cylinder 43 can itself determine the upper and lower stops.

It should now be apparent that a mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention for supporting and positioning an overhead brush will thoroughly clean even the substantially vertically oriented rear surface of a vehicle and otherwise accomplish the objects of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for supporting and positioning an overhead brush comprising, a stanchion, at least one support link pivotally mounted on said stanchion to swing along a primary arc, an outer arm depending from said support link said arm connected to said support link by an articulating pivot to permit said arm to swing along a secondary arc, the brush being mounted on said arm,

and a control link pivotally connected between said stanchion and said outer arm beneath said support link, the pivotal connections of said support link and said control link with said stanchion being fixed with respect thereto.

2. A mechanism, as set forth in claim 1, in which said control link is secured to said outer arm in spaced relation outwardly of the articulating pivot by which said outer arm is connected to said support link.

3. A mechanism, as set forth in claim 2, in which the control link generally parallels the support link.

4. A mechanism, as set forth in claim 3, in which there is a pair of laterally spaced support links, an outer arm depending from each said support link and the brush is mounted between the outer arms pivotally secured to said laterally spaced support links.

5 6 5. A mechanism for supporting and positioning an References Cited overhead brush comprising, a stanchion, support means UNITED STATES PATENTS having opposed, first and second ends, said first end mounted on said stanchion, said support means being swingable about said first end such that the second end 3,251,084 5/ 1966 Larson et al. 3,292,192 12/1966 Maxwell.

swings at least downwardly and rearwardly, arm means 5 FQREIGN PATENTS mounted on said support means and movable with and with respect thereto, the brush being operatively carried 1196147 5/1959 France on said arm means, and control means operatively con- EDWARD ROBERTS Primary Examiner nected to said arm means to move the brush forwardly in 10 response to the downward and rearward movement of the US. Cl. X.R.

second end of said support means. 1553 

